Comparative quantitative study of DDT and its metabolites in human milk by gas chromatography with electron capture and mass spectrometric detection

Comparative analytical quantitation of DDE, DDD, and DDT in human milk, by gas chromatography with mass spectrometric and electron capture detection (GC-MS and GC-ECD) has been studied by use of 513 samples of milk from lactating mothers participating in a World Health Organization special study. Although correlation between the p,p-DDE concentrations measured by GC-ECD and GC-MSD was excellent (r = 0.950, P < 0.0001) and correlation was significant and moderate for p,p-DDD and p,p-DDT, the best precision was obtained by use of GC-MS. This study has therefore demonstrated that GC-MSD is a useful tool for determining the concentration of DDT and its metabolites, because it enables simultaneous detection and confirmation.